Watch and Pray

Daily Reading: Mark 14

Scripture Focus: Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. (Mark 14.38)

Devotional Thought: In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed, looking at what lay before him - the cross.  He was under a heavy emotional and spiritual load.  He really needed the support and encouragement of his disciples.  Yet, each time he returned to where he had left them to pray, he found them sleeping.  Our Lord is amazing!  Instead of getting angry and turning the attention to himself, he used this as an occasion to teach them.  “Watch and pray,” he said, “that you may not enter temptation.”

How many of you would confess with me that there are times (too frequent to admit!) when your spirit really longs to excel, but you just can’t seem to follow through?  There are always things that come up: distractions we hadn’t foreseen, costs we weren’t counting on, weaknesses we did not realize we had.  That’s why we need to pray: not just to be ready for his return (see Mark 13.35), but to be ready for life.

I am thankful that Jesus does not simply scold us when we fail to live up to our own hype.  And, I appreciate the mercy that I receive from him.  But, to be honest, I am sometimes embarrassed – if just in front of him – for the simple things I fail to do or the crazy things I do.  When that happens, it invariably can be traced to a lack of prayer.  I don’t mean to enter into temptation, but I haven’t been alert enough to avoid it or strong enough to resist it.  I didn't watch and pray.

Will you watch and pray? It will make all the difference in the world!

Prayer: "Lord, it is my chief complaint that my love is weak and faint.  Yet I love thee, and adore.  O, for grace to love thee more!"  Amen.  (William Cowper)

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 22.1-5

1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?

2 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest.

3 Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.

4 In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them.

5 To you they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame.